1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices used to throw, shoot or launch objects such as hockey pucks and balls for the practice of a particular sport. The new device provides a means to launch an object such as a hockey puck at a selected velocity to a particular target. The variation in velocity and location at which the object is launched provides for practice in reacting to and hitting the hockey puck or ball.
2. Description of Related Art
There are currently in use various types of devices for throwing or launching projectiles for practice in sports such as baseball and tennis. These devices typically involve a mechanical throwing arm which receives balls from a feed mechanism and rotates rapidly to hurl the ball at the player for purposes of practice at hitting the ball. Other devices such as a mechanical piston mechanism have also been used to basically push the balls out of a tube to provide velocity and direction. All such devices require complicated mechanical mechanisms in order to achieve the launching of the ball or object.
Devices using air or other gas under pressure are also available such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,928. This device uses compressed air with a valve having a diaphragm that opens due to a pressure defferential thus causing a sudden release of air pressure. However, the pressure defferential control mechanism for the valve and diaphragm is quite complex thus creating an expensive mechanism with potential reliability problems. This system does not incorporate an accurate aiming mechanism.
While fluid control values such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,029 are known in the art, these valves are designed and used in liquid systems. Application in gas applications has not been obvious. Use of such a valve in an gas pressure application such as the present invention is important for rapid valve opening and closing, for efficiency of launcher size and weight, and for minimizing complexity including the mechanical parts.
The present invention combines the use of a simple fluid control valve with an air pressure system and directional control mechanism to simply and accurately launch an object such as a hockey puck or ball to a given target for practice at hitting or deflecting the projectile. By use of a fluid control system the sports object launcher removes the need for complicated mechanical mechanisms while providing an accurate reliable system. Compressed air is used to launch the projectile by means of the fluid control valve and a cylindrical or rectangular tube or channel is used to aim the projectile in the desired direction.